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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration has lifted its ban on U.S. flights to Israel, which it had imposed out of concern over the risk of planes being hit by Hamas rockets.
The agency made its decision late Wednesday after working with other U.S. government entities to assess the security situation in Israel. Its decision was effective at 11:45 p.m. EDT.
The FAA instituted a 24-hour prohibition Tuesday on flights to Ben Gurion International Airport in response to a rocket strike that landed about a mile from the airport.
The directive, which was extended Wednesday, applied only to U.S. carriers. The FAA has no authority over foreign airlines operating in Israel.
The FAA's flight ban was criticized by the Israeli government and by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.


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Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Zetec S 5dr
sorry sold!
Key data
- Registration: GX14LRL
- Mileage: 86382
- Engine size: 1.6
- Transmission: Manual
- Fuel: Diesel
- Owners: 2
- Service history: Full service history
- Colour: black
Finance available on this vehicle.
See lower down this page or our finance page for more details.
Here at Jlc Cars LTD we offer you great value, good quality but with the highest level of customer service, we are so confident in our cars that we service & check over every car we sell and give you 12 months warranty (STS) BUT FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY WE'RE GIVING YOU 3 YEARS WARRANTY FREE !! WE CAN OFFER YOU GREAT FINANCE RATES TO HELP YOU PURCHASE YOUR NEW CAR JUST ASK FOR A FREE QUOTE !! WE,VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 10 YEARS OFFERING THE BEST CUSTOMER USED CAR BUYING EXPERIENCE AROUND !! WERE HERE TO LOOK AFTER YOU SHOULD THE WORST HAPPEN ( DON'T FORGET THEY ARE USED CARS AND IN SOME CASES CAN GO WRONG BUT WERE HERE TO PUT IT RIGHT !! BUT DON'T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT READ OUR CUSTOMER REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED CARS FROM US, OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SECOND TO NONE * ALL CARS ARE SERVICED , * ALL CARS HPI CLEARED, * 12 MONTHS MOT ( if less than 8 months left) * MINIMUM 6 MONTHS WARRANTY (DEPENDENT ON AGE AND MILES) MOST VEHICLES HAVE 12 MONTHS AS STANDARD WITH 2nd YEAR JUST £169 AND VEHICLES ARE ALL COVERED AT ANY V.A.T REG GARAGE IN THE COUNTRY !! SO NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE YOU ARE COVERED !!, WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT VALUE AND THE VERY BEST USED CAR CUSTOMER SERVICE !! SO GIVE JLC CARS A CALL IT MAY BE THE BEST DECISION YOU MAKE AND JOIN OUR EVER GROWING CUSTOMER BASE AND HAVE MANY HAPPY YEARS MOTORING.
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JLC Cars Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.(658721) Finance Subject to status. Other offers may be available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. Registered Companies House: JLC CARS LIMITED: Address: 4 Gunby Units, Gunby Hill, Netherseal, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 8AS (06241388)

subset: commoncrawl


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Tagged: Vince McMahon
Get Your Own League
In 2001, the king of crap conglomerates and no-holds-barred entrepreneurship, Vince McMahon, teamed up with NBC to create a new world order football league deftly named the XFL. The league featured 'roid-raging castaways with unfettered guts and brawn who considered the actual rules of the game nothing more than a bothersome set of circumstances meant to be ignored — all in the holy name of entertainment.
Personally, I have had enough of the steroid scandal in baseball; and in an effort of compromise between giving the fans what they want and keeping Major League Baseball clean, I propose we gather up all the Mannys, Barrys, Alexes and Marks, give them to Vince McMahon, throw a ton of money at marketing and licensing and let them hit the hell out of the ball all they want in a rule-breaking utopia known as the XBL.
No drug tests. No suspensions. No questions.
And who better to get this league off the ground than Rafael "What the Heck Is Stanozolol Anyway" Palmeiro?
Don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.


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This week on View from the Gutters, our topic work is Scud: The Disposable Assassin by Rob Schrab. Published from 1994 to 1998 (with the final issues only being released in 2008), Scud is a wild, weird, frenetic story about a robotic assassin hired out of a vending machine who decides that he doesn't want to die, and then searches for a reason to live.
It contains shades of other indie comics of the time, including The Tick, and is an excellent example of the nineties indie comic scene. It manages to be both hilarious and poignant (occasionally at the same time), with mind-bending character designs. Although not credited on the cover, parts of this series were also written by Dan Harmon, creator of the TV-series Community.
In our recommendation section our hosts nominated The OMAC Project, The Umbrella Academy, Stumptown, The Last Christmas, and Billi 99 for discussion on the next episode, and our selected title is Billi 99.
Our hosts for this episode were Andrew Chard, Matt McGinnis, Joe Preti, Tobiah Panshin, and Cade Reynolds.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:18:38 — 36.0MB) | Embed


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The Fixer's Assassinations
The Fixer's assassinations are a string of assassination missions given to the player in Grand Theft Auto IV. Niko Bellic can get to the missions by visiting a payphone at the Odhner Avenue-Traeger Road intersection on the western fringe of Port Tudor with Acter in Alderney, where a cutscene shows The Fixer briefing Bellic. It is not required to do these missions to continue with the storyline, but they do count towards completion of the game.
Activating the missions
Following Phil Bell's first mission, he will call the player's character, Niko Bellic, stating that someone has some side-jobs for him. A man known as "The Fixer" wants Niko to assassinate some enemies. To start these missions, the player should go to a designated payphone marked with a crosshair icon, and walk to a payphone to contact "The Fixer". When the player succeeds in completing all his assassinations, "The Fixer" will contact the player to voice his satisfaction, stating the player has "cleared a lot of files" for him, and wishes to cut ties with the player. "The Fixer" will not appear again after.
For every mission, the player will be provided information on where the target is, along with a body armor and a specific weapon suited for the mission in hand behind the pay phone (note: just because a certain weapon is provided doesn't mean it's the only suitable weapon for the mission; also, if you fail the mission and reload, the weapon may change). Like Brucie Kibbutz's exotic exports and Stevie's car thefts, individual assassination missions are played out in random order. In addition, the missions predominantly take place in Alderney.
Water Hazard
The female target is on a boat anchored just off shore. Options include shooting her with a sniper rifle (one is provided if you need it), or using an RPG to send her down with the ship. There is no penalty for also killing the man standing next to her (i.e. if you miss with the sniper rifle).
Dead End
The target are some members of The Lost Brotherhood, or Northwood Dominican Drug Dealers. They are in Alderney, when you come close to them they will drive away and you will have to give chase, however they will lure you into an ambush where you will have to take out many enemies.
If you take a cab to the destination, watch them drive away and then run towards their destination - you will get there after the ambush has arrived and you can easily take them out using your assault rifle. Calling in Dwayne's backup is also very useful here.
Migration Control
The target is attempting to catch a helicopter. Either use a RPG and blow it up when they board it, or shoot them with a sniper rifle.
Derelict Target
The targets are members of the Triads, and Russian Mafia. There are 3 heavily guarded targets to be wiped out in a stripped out building in Alderney City located right across the street from the Alderney Safehouse. This is a hard mission because the police get involved regardless of whether or not you shoot anybody - it's scripted so when you get to the level where the second person is, the cops will come starting at a 1 star level and going up to two stars once you shoot another baddie. If you end up killing policemen your wanted level goes up to 3 stars. The easiest way to do this is to get a helicopter, go to the street level where you can see two of the targets, sniper them, and then fly to the roof of the same building and through the partially destroyed roof shoot the third person. If you do attract police, just fly away.
A third way of compleating the mission without getting wounded or wanted is simply to kill all of the targets from a distance. Two of the targets can be killed from the front of the building with a sniper rifle (where you start the mission). The guy on the top floor is harder. Kill the goons in front of the building, don't mind the ones that can't hurt you. Now, the house to the left of the building with the targets (coming from the front) has a fire escape on the side. You will see it immediately if you look slightly to the left. You can jump up, and climb up on these stairs (note: not always available on PS3) and through this access the rooftop, where you easily could shoot the third target without getting wanted.
Note, however, that once you kill the last target the wanted level is automatically removed, so if you're fast enough you can clear the three targets without encountering cops.
Bailing Out for Good
This target is bailing out of a police station. Kill him outside it or chase him down when he gets in his car and kill him that way. If you "accidentally" run into and kill him, the mission is passed as well.
Hook, Line and Sinker
The target is on a boat, use a boat to get closer and give chase, shooting the boat until it explodes. Alternately, use the boat to get closer, but not so close as to trigger the chase, and sniper the target. You might also be able to use an RPG from that distance.
R.U.B. Down
The target is in the Acter Industrial park not far to the south. However there are actually three, and they are all on bikes. Chase them down and kill them. You can also sneak up to them (but not too close or they will get away) and stealthily shoot them with a rocket launcher, or throw a grenade (at good time)/molotov cocktail at them.
Industrial Action
Three more targets have to be taken out at the industrial park. They are up high on some walkways, and are guarded by a number of guards. The best way is to use a sniper form the north side and pick off as many as you can. Then get closer and take out the rest. Although it is possible to sniper some from the Plumber's Skyway (particularly from the construction zone where the barrier is missing) this isn't recommended as it's almost impossible to hit every target once they start running for cover, and the nearest off-ramp from the Skyway takes you too far from the targets, failing the mission.
Finding the way up can be very difficult, especially at night, given the maze of staircases and catwalks. The main staircase leading up (and from which most of the targets will be coming down) is at the southeast corner of the complex (or the left rear as viewed from the destination point).
Note: There is a $10,000 bonus on this contract. In the middle walkway between the two towers there is a sports bag that contains the money (presumably for the deal). To get the cash simply walk up to the bag. Be warned, the bag disappears after you kill an undetermined amount of enemies.
Taken Out
The target is moving in a convoy. Take a good handling car and drive up towards the target. The convoy is a stretch and two SUVs. If you are in a helicopter, slowly and methodically crash into the limousine, which pretty much makes it undriveable, and then just drill everybody with your SMG or Carbine Rifle. Note: the SUVs do not always appear, in which case all you need to contend with is the limo.
- The Achievement/Trophy name, "Assassin's Greed", is a reference to the Ubisoft franchise Assassin's Creed.
- The mission name Hook, Line and Sinker is a reference to the common phrase of the same name.


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Although it can be very trying spending so much time with big one at home, especially when he's in his devilish moods, it is nonetheless very rewarding to watch him grow up day by day.
His class is currently practicing a dance routine for the "grandmas and grandpas" at a nursing home next week, and we failed to lure him to dance for us. But as you never know with kids, he offered to do the entire routine after watching a video of the song. Thus I spent a very enjoyable half hour on Tuesday, watching and filming him dance at home, and he absolutely tickled himself watching himself on video. In fact, it spurred him to go crazier with each take and replace the proper moves with his own free style interpretations.
Here's Take 2. A not-so-crazy version where some proper actions are still visible.
Well, dear, maybe our 星爸星妈 dream is possible afterall. Hoho!


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Lane Kiffin returned to USC in 2010 to become the Trojans' head coach following a one-year stint at Tennessee, but the dream job Kiffin accepted hasn't exactly gone smoothly.
Sure, there are the NCAA sanctions he inherited, which include scholarship reductions and previously banned the program from going bowling, but the 7-6 record USC finished the 2012 season with after being the preseason No. 1 team raised questions if 2013 would be the last year Kiffin coached the Trojans. And that came just one year removed from going 10-2 with no hopes of a postseason. Then there was the heavy staff turnover this offseason that saw Kiffin's own dad, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, depart — likely as an act of falling on the proverbial sword for his son.
So, yeah, it hasn't always been an easy go for Kiffin, who enters his fourth year with USC. In an interview with Ralph Russo of the Associated Press, Kiffin admits as much by joking, although with perhaps some sense of seriousness, that he's already pondered what life would be like on a smaller stage. From the story:
"I did think the other day what it would be like to be a high school head coach or to be at a small school," Kiffin said. "I thought about it the other day. The first time. I wonder if there's something to that peace of mind. Maybe it's something I can go back and do when I get older. I'm going to go coach high school.
"It's just the game. It's the game in its realest sense and it's fun. Working with the kids and not all this other stuff. You go back and have fun."
But Russo brings up a good point about Kiffin later in the piece: "When it comes to turmoil, Kiffin seems to either walk into it or create it. It's a talent that has made him maybe the most vilified man in college football today."
Kiffin knew what he signed up for when he took the job three years ago. He was already going to be under the Los Angeles media market microscope anyway, and with his, shall we say, "demeanor", he's going to get even more attention. I'm sure USC is still Kiffin's dream job and anything he says about leaving the bright lights of L.A. is mostly jest, but those comments reveal some of the pressures of coaching at a big-time program.
The theme of Russo's piece is that Kiffin and USC are hoping for a drama-free 2013. The only way that happens is if he wins.


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Miller Hull Partnership illustration
Earth Day co-founder Denis Hayes and architect Jason McLellan are behind a project that aims to build the greenest office building ever.
SEATTLE – An office building that lasts 250 years with no monthly electricity or water bills? It may sound like an environmentalist's pipe dream, but it will soon be a reality, say the builders of what they hope will be the biggest office tower in the nation that produces as much water and electricity as it consumes.
Currently rising from a pit in downtown Seattle, the $30 million, six-story "living building" is being spearheaded by Denis Hayes and Jason McLennan, who believe they can save the world one building at a time by reducing the massive energy appetites of modern cities.
"Eighty-two percent of Americans, and more than half of humanity, now live in cities -- none of which have been designed for sustainability," said Hayes, who in 1970 helped create Earth Day, which has developed into the planet's unofficial holiday.
Hayes, 67, now heads the Bullitt Foundation, an environmental nonprofit that intends to practice what it preaches by moving into the building when it's completed, currently planned for November.
The Bullitt Center, as the building will be known, is designed to use just a third of the energy consumed by a typical office building its size. It also aims to minimize its resource footprint by generating electricity from solar power, collecting water from rainfall and treating all sewage and wastewater onsite. It also will have no parking for cars -- just racks for bikes.
It won't be entirely off the electrical grid, so that it can make it through the periods when there isn't enough sunlight to meet the tenants' demands. But it will later repay those withdrawals, said McLennan, 38, who is CEO of the Northwest-based International Living Future Institute.
"In the summer it gives excess energy to the (power) grid and in the winter it gets it back when we can't generate enough," he said. "It nets out at zero on an annual basis."
As for the water system, Seattle law requires the building be hooked up to its water supply but the goal is to take in enough rainwater to make ends meet.
Standard buildings are a "negative gift" to taxpayers, he said, because of the burdens they impose in terms of pollution and wasted energy. "We clean up our own messes ... that's the big picture," he said.
Hayes said that in addition to being self-sufficient, the building will make sense financially, explaining that while it may cost a third more to build than a traditional office building, it is designed to last centuries longer.
"We are using the Bullitt Center to explore what is possible on the cutting edge of green, using existing technology and constrained by reasonable economics," said Hayes. "Durability is key. The average building lasts 40 years, we're going for 250 years. ... It's a fundamentally different approach."
Getting the building to last 2 1/2 centuries, McLennan said, comes down to three factors: quality building materials; careful and clever detailing from the architecture firm; and high quality construction from the contractor.
Ultimately, the partners hope to get the Bullitt Center certified under the "Living Building Challenge," which is run by the Living Future Institute.
In order to be certified as a living building, developments much meet benchmarks in seven performance areas. The slideshow at the top of the story illustrates those areas, each of which includes several "imperatives," such as "car-free living" and "urban agriculture."
So far, about 140 projects are registered for the Living Building Challenge, including a handful in Seattle. Only four have been certified as meeting the challenge criteria so far, as many are under construction or have not yet met the year of occupancy necessary for certification. Most are small projects; a few are office buildings, but none is as large as the Bullitt Center.
Net-zero homes have been around since the 1970s, but McLennan noted that it's "much harder to achieve this in a larger building, as the larger the building the more difficult it is to generate all your own energy and harvest all your water. Scale makes it challenging."
If the Bullitt Center is certified as a living building, it will be the largest net-zero office building in the U.S., McLennan said. A three-story Center for Sustainable Landscapes also is under construction in Pittsburgh at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, he noted.
Here are some of the major pieces that Hayes and McLennan say will enable the building to meet the challenge:
- Solar panels on the roof that extend over the sides of the building will provide the electricity. (Panels have gained enough efficiency in recent years to make them operable even in places with as much cloud cover as Seattle.)
- Water will circulate through 26 geothermal wells, each 400 feet deep in earth that's a constant 55 degrees, to help offset heating costs in winter.
- Rainwater will be collected in a 56,000 gallon basement cistern. Purification steps include a special membrane for the roof, ultrafiltration and ultraviolet light. Because the process has to be tested before Seattle will consider authorizing it for drinking water, sinks and showers, Hayes calls it "the last big hurdle" for the center.
- Sewage will be sent to 10 basement composters and then shipped offsite to become fertilizer.
- All timber frames and other wood will be certified as sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council.
The criteria for certification, McLennan said, are "more high performing" than the standards of the better known LEED, for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which were developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and adopted by many developers across the country.
"It's time to move the ball farther," he said, adding that "single projects can change the way the design community thinks."
The U.S. Green Building Council said it welcomes the living building concept and has worked closely with McLennan, who also runs the council's Seattle chapter.
"It's more challenging," acknowledged Scot Horst, the council's vice president for LEED. "Most buildings that attempted but couldn't meet the (living building) criteria were still LEED certified."
John Brecher / msnbc.com
The six-story Bullitt Center will block the downtown views from the apartments at left, as well as partly obscure those from the condos in the center of this photo.
Even a cutting-edge development like the Bullitt Center can have difficulty meeting the living building benchmarks. For example, it is replacing a single-story bar and thereby covering up the views from apartments behind it.
That would appear to violate the Living Building Challenge's "equity" imperative: "The project may not block access to, nor diminish, the quality of fresh air, sunlight and natural waterways for any member of society or adjacent developments."
But McLennan notes the apartments went up knowing that the Bullitt property would some day be developed. "The windows for the adjacent building were placed along an alley where development was always expected and part of city zoning for that site," he said.
STORY: 'ZeroHouse' concept debuts in California
Hayes said tenants will get a rent reduction in return. "It's not a perfect solution but we're doing what we can," he said.
McLennan added that the upsides -- more diversity and added jobs in the area -- outweigh any downside.
Architects from Pink Cloud leap into the future with their eco-friendly vision of turning oil silos into low-cost housing and share their award winning ideas with Msnbc.com's Dara Brown.
Eco-friendly projects aren't immune to the community frictions that often greet new developments.
In Wallingford, a neighborhood of homes and low-rise commercial buildings in Seattle, a green developer inspired by the Bullitt project says it needs to exceed the city's height limit in order to make its building cost effective.
That has angered neighbors like Katherine Bragdon, herself an environmental activist, and put the project on hold as city government deals with the opposition.
"No developer should be given special privileges to exceed current zoning by 44 percent, impair views that belong to the public, and trump years of work and consideration that have gone into neighborhood planning," Bragdon said. "I've worked on a number of conservation campaigns around the country over the past two decades so I want to stress that I respect and value the green building aspect of this project. … But I also believe that we can't trample over one good cause (well-planned neighborhoods, public process, fair zoning) for another."
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Mom: Trayvon was killed because of 'the color of his skin'
- Fuhgeddaboutit! NJ top state for fighting corruption
- Woman found dead with three kids was 'good mom'
- Nebraska tornadoes rip roofs from houses
- Soldier held in Afghan killings had financial issues


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Revision Progress
Ponyfinder updates
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Revision Progress
Work on the revised version of the main book is well underway. The errata is being assembled, and the print of the softcover is being approved(hopefully) by the printer as I type this. It should be released within the week. The hardcover has been secretly available for a few days now, if you trust ordering it before we've even gotten our own copy yet.
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High Holy Days: Prepare for the High Holy Days with programs ranging from study, meditation, shofar blasts, a cooking class, kids events and more. All our major religious services, classes and events will be online with one or two small, socially distanced outdoor events. Guests are welcome. Click Contact Us for access. Our office is open by appointment: 301-498-5151. Guests must wear face masks.
School and Youth Events


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Ben Affleck's Bono-esque philanthropic ambitions may be advancing, but he is having trouble raising interest from the big platform that is Hollywood. In a recent interview, the Oscar-winning writer, actor and director deplored Hollywood's lack of interest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
"I would love to make a movie about Congo, but unfortunately I've asked Hollywood folks and they always say nobody wants to see a movie about Africa. I think that points to this general sense that people sort of tune out, that it doesn't matter. It's also a function of trends and conventional wisdom: if it comes down to a movie with fighting robots or a movie on what's happening in eastern Congo, you're not going to win."
Using his celebrity to raise awareness for global crises, he founded the Eastern Congo Initiative earlier this year, in March. The organization's aim is to encourage economic and social development in the troubled eastern region of the country. Find out more about his efforts and watch his video about the Congo after the jump.
Affleck is devoted to his cause and has already made several visits to the Congo. Moreover, he is urging the US government to double its efforts and provide the necessary aid to bring stability to the region. Rape and violent crimes are prevalent in eastern Congo.
But if he were to make a feature film, it would definitely not be a documentary. Perhaps Affleck, who won a screenwriting Oscar for Good Will Hunting and most recently wrote and directed The Town, knows his strengths as a storyteller, telling the AFP:
"There have been a lot of documentaries already, and fiction is more gripping. You can tell one person's story and really control the extent to which the history and the politics are layered in, but you keep that central through-line of a protagonist that you're really rooting for."
Affleck elaborates on the trouble with the commercial prospects of a film set in Africa:
"But the other problem with movies about Africa is that there are no African movie stars in the United States. So the lead has to be someone who's American, and you have to figure out how to get an American person wedged into a story about Africa… [Leonardo DiCaprio] did it really well in Blood Diamonds, so it's not impossible."
Charlize Theron, who is South African, has already expressed interest. More A-listers may follow suit methinks if — or when — the project becomes more concrete.
Affleck has already made two brief films about Congo, including a 23-minute collaboration with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, Gimme Shelter, shot in the Nord-Kivu region.
He also recently posted a five-minute video about DRC on YouTube, featuring the U2 song "Bad".
In the meantime, he is keeping busy with his day job: Affleck was most recently spotted on the set of the yet-untitled Terrence Malick film. He will next be seen in The Company Men, which opens December 10th.


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|[View Job Specification]
|[View Printable Version]
|[Open Competitive Application]
|Date Published: 02/05/2020
|Exam Date: 04/25/2020
|Open Competitive Examination #: 60-628
|Promotional Examination #: None
|Application Deadline: 03/10/2020
|Application Filing Fee (Non-Refundable): $15.00
$15.00 Non-Refundable Application Fee You are, therefore, urged to carefully compare your qualifications with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified. Payable by check or money order to: ōChief Fiscal Officer,ö or by VISA, MC or Discover. Cash will be accepted only if paying in person.
SALARY AND VACANCIES: Changing conditions may make it necessary to certify vacancies at higher or lower salaries than those announced.
The title currently exists in the following agencies:
Syracuse City School District - $65,000
Syracuse Housing Authority (salary varies)
The resulting open competitive eligible list will be used to fill vacancies in any jurisdiction where the title exists.
DUTIES: This position involves managerial work which includes the oversight, coordination and evaluation of all procurement services including best purchasing practices of goods and services, contract management of all supplies and public works, and materials management of all supplies and fixed asset inventories. An employee in this class works under the general direction of an administrative superior who allows the incumbent a large degree of independent judgment and initiative in areas of responsibility. Does related work as required.
RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT: OPEN COMPETITIVE examination candidates must have resided in the United States of America or one of its territories for not less than one (1) month immediately preceding the date of exam. Preference in appointment may be given to local residents. Appointments to positions in some municipalities are subject to residence requirements pursuant to local laws.
RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT: Appointments to positions in the City of Syracuse are subject to residence requirements pursuant to local law. Preference in appointment may be given to local residents.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: On the date of examination, candidates must meet the following requirements:
A) Graduation with a BachelorÆs Degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees and four (4) years of *professional level work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in purchasing, contract administration or materials management, one (1) year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity; or,
B) Eight (8) years of **paraprofessional or *professional level work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in purchasing, contract administration or materials management, one (1) year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity; or,
C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).
* Professional level work experience requires specialized and theoretical knowledge. The experience involves independence of action and personal responsibility for actions.
** Paraprofessional level work experience involves the performance of non-interpretive, routine and non-technical duties in a supportive role to a professional.
Volunteer Experience: Volunteer experience will be allowed to substitute for paid work experience as long as the volunteer experience is equivalent in nature to the paid work experience required for the position.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: There will be a written test, which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test will be designed to test for knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the following areas:
Preparing written material
These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
Understanding and interpreting written material
These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.
Principles and practices of purchasing
These questions test for candidates' knowledge of the principles guiding governmental purchasing operations and the ability to put them into practice. These questions may deal with but are not necessarily limited to such matters as the analysis of bids, the use of specifications, the award of contracts, the analysis of market factors that can affect the cost of a purchase, and the application of a set of rules to determine how to proceed with a purchase. Some arithmetic computation may be necessary. No specific knowledge of NYS purchasing laws, rules and regulations will be required to answer these questions.
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Good morning everyone! My name is Tracy. I was an old regular years ago on the child neurology forum. I lost all my information and have been gone a long time. I am a mom to three beautiful children. Our oldest son is married and we have a beautiful granddaughter. Our youngest son is in high school. Our beautiful daughter, Megan went home to be with Jesus August 18, 2015. Our sweet angel was our life. When I have more time, I will tell you our full story. Just wanted to stop by and introduce myself. Yesterday was our angels birthday in heaven. Thought I would share my thoughts for her birthday. All my love and prayers to all of you.
According to Websters Dictionary, the definition of birthday is: the anniversary of the day on which a person was born, typically treated as an occasion for celebration and the giving of gifts.
Today October 11th our angel in heaven is 23 years old. We have celebrated three birthdays without her on this earth. She has only been gone 2 years, but she went home about 7 weeks before her 21st birthday. I cant really say celebrated is the right word. When you cant physically hug your child or go out and buy your child that special gift, or have the cake and all the joy that a birthday brings, celebrate takes on a completely different meaning.
For me, the day will be bittersweet. It will be a day remembering the day she was born. The day she wasnt expected to live at all. The day we had to make the decision to take her off life support. The day we gathered around her hospital crib and had her baptized and said our goodbyes. A time of triumph leaving the NICU with our baby girl. Gods plan. Gods WILL. Her strength. Her beauty. Her pure soul. Her perfection. Her courage. Her struggles. Her laugh. Her smell. Her strength. Her hair. Her eyes. Cute little toes and button nose. Her smile, they said she would never give.
It will be a day full of memories. Happy and sad. Gratefulness and blessings. Unfairness and anger.
A mother wants her child in her arms. To kiss and to hug. To pamper and love. To smell her one more time. To see her eyes shine. To hear her giggle. To just sit back and watch her while she sleeps. So peaceful. To walk in her room and sing good morning to you, to kiss her forehead and put her to bed. To stub my toe on the wheelchair. ( Boy did I do that many times). To hear the oxygen machine running at night. Checking the monitor and seeing her sleeping so sound. To make her special foods. To give her a bath and have our spa days. Unfortunately, these have all went away.
The pain changes over time. It never goes away. It will always be there deep inside tucked away. Unless your child is gone, there are no words to describe this kind of pain or loss. Nothing compares. I pray hard, no other parents have to walk this path. It has a devastating aftermath. No clichés are needed, like shes in a better place. You see, I know that. It is just a hard fact to embrace. I do find great comfort in knowing she is dancing with Jesus in heaven again this year. But the mom in me, still wants my baby here.
We will go to the cemetery with 23 purple balloons in tow. We will sing Happy Birthday, and shed tears and wish you were here to celebrate with presents and bows.
God called you home. His plan is bigger, and grander than I can even imagine. My dear angel in heaven above, watch for the balloons heading heaven bound. They are filled with all of our hugs and love from home. Go run my dear and blow out those candles and celebrate with our Father. I hope you can hear mommy singing Happy Birthday my dear daughter.
To everyone reading this, go kiss your children. Let them know how much you love them. Tomorrow is not promised. Live, laugh, love, forgive, forget, be happy, eat the cake, drink the wine, act goofy, be passionate, gracious, kind, giving, receiving. Love yourself. Love others. Let go of the drama and bull****. Life is too short!! Be the best you, you can be. Live for you and your children and grandchildren. Call your parents or grandparents, remember all they have done to get you where you are today. Help out a neighbor, a co worker, a stranger. In honor of our Meggies 23rd birthday today, do something nice for someone else. Then thank God for all the blessings you have in your life. I know, I'll be on my knees giving glory to the Lord for all that he has given me. Hugs


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Just a quick note to let you know that we're working on putting a clear "Read More" link and a "Discussion" link on front page items. We'll be tweaking them throughout the day, but feel free to drop some feedback here.
Also, I'll be posting a survey later today addressing the redesign effort so far. Thanks to everyone for their tremendous feedback!


text: Free Shipping On All Orders ! CART MENU Open menu Euro Food Mart Toggle search bar What can we help you find? Submit search CART Groceries Cereals Condiments Dumplings & Potatoes Gravy & Sauce Mixes Honey/Jams/Sweet Spreads Meats & Seafood Canned Fish Canned Meats Caviars & Spreads Deli Meats Pates Pasta & Noodles Pickled Products Salad Dressings Soups & Bouillons Spices & Seasonings Sweet Meals Vegetable Spreads Vinegars Sweets Bonbons Candies Licorice Candy Gummi Candies Mamba Fritt Haribo Haribo Tubs Haribo Bags Hitschler Katjes Nimm2 Chocolates Bounty Casali Kane Candy Kinder Lindt Milka Ritter Sport Schogetten Toblerone Chocolate -Liquor Filled Chocolate-Gift Boxes Lokoum & Halvah Bakery Baking Aids Breads Cakes Cookies Rusk Bread Snacks Waffles Dessert Mixes Beverages Carbonated Drinks Powdered Drinks Syrup Teas Underberg Water Coffee Dallmayr Illy Jacobs Nescafe Tchibo Condensed Milk Personal Care Baby Care Bath & Shower Badedas Fa Fenjal Deodorants Dove Deodorants Fa Deodorants Garnier Deodorants Intesa Deodorants Malizia Deodorants Nivea Deodorants Rexona Deodorants Dishwashing Products Food Supplements Hair Care Intimate Care Laundry Products Lip Care Shaving Products Skin Care Soaps Sun Care Holidays Christmas 2019 Abtey Chocolatier Anthon Berg Asbach Uralt Bahlsen Christmas Boehme Christmas Carl Brandt Casali Christmas Kuchen Meister Lambertz LaRoshell Lindt Sprungli Niederegger Oebel Ritter Sport Christmas Schladerer Schluckwerder Trumpf Weiss New On Sale Nav Menu 2 Nav Menu 3 Resources Shipping Policy Returns Policy Account Sign In Contact Us Category Index Product Index Nav Menu 5 Nav Menu 6 Nav Menu 7 Home > Personal Care > Rexona Roll-On Deodorant Shower Fresh -50ml Our Price: $6.79 Stock Status:(Out of Stock) Availability: Ships in 2 to 3 Business Days Qty: Email me when Back-In-Stock Description Rexona gives you the confidence to handle whatever the day has in store because you know your deodorant won't let you down.What makes Rexona tick?They happen every day. Those unexpected moments when the adrenalin starts to pump and the sweat starts to flow. With Rexona's unique body-responsive technology, which releases extra protection as you need it, you'll know that your deodorant won't let you down. Better still, everyone can enjoy this peace of mind as Rexona is the the deodorant tailored to the needs of both sexes, with separate product ranges for each. Additional information. Made in UKItems per case : 6 You May Also Like... Rexona Spray Deodorant Shower Clean -150ml Rexona Spray Deodorant Clear Diamond -150ml Persil Sensitive Gel Laundry Detergent -1.01 L / 20 WL Labello Sun Protect Lip Balm Our Price: $6.79 Add Our Price: $6.79 Add Our Price: $24.98 Add Our Price: $4.59 Add Rexona Men Spray Deodorant Xtracool -150ml Nivea Roll-On Deodorant Stress Protect Men - 50 ml Rexona Spray Deodorant Happy -150ml Nivea Shampoo Straight & Easy -250ml Our Price: $6.79 Add Our Price: $6.49 Add Our Price: $6.79 Add Our Price: $6.79 Add Share your knowledge of this product with other customers... Be the first to write a review


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I'm working on a piece of legislation, and we need your help. It's something that will help us all make Oregon, and the rest of the world, a better and more prosperous place to live. Please add your name to the page linked above, and please also consider pitching in to develop the bill!
In recent years, I've been amazed by all the exciting new ways of developing idea that are emerging new technology. I spend way too much of my time writing and editing articles on Wikipedia; I read blogs, and ask questions in the comments; and obviously, I've taken a crack at keeping my own blog. I check in on what my friends are saying on Twitter.com a couple times a day; I listen to talk radio shows, and call in or email when it seems like they're missing something. And pretty often, I meet and get to physically shake hands with someone that I've known for months or years, and worked with extensively.
But at the same time, I've been pretty disappointed by how little government seems to take advantage of these kinds of tools for innovation, policy development, disseminating information, and generally keeping people up to date with what's going on in their world and how they can change it. There are some rays of hope, but by and large, government approach to the Internet is still struggling to catch up to 1995.
This January, with a fresh crop of legislators heading to Salem, we have a chance to work for a kind of change that will help us all stay better-informed about what our government is doing, and about how to influence it in our areas of passion and expertise. The Obama supporters among us may be shouting "Yes We Did," but I believe that "Yes We Can" remains the better phrase. We may have succeeded in electing a president who will be more open to innovative ideas, but our job of supplying those ideas — and developing the same kinds of conditions on a local level — is just beginning.
The bill I'm working on — and hope you will help us work on — will address at least four areas: Continue reading


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Lesley Brown, the first woman to successfully undergo IVF treatment, died at age 64 on June 6th. Lesley gave birth to the first IVF baby, her daughter Louise, in July 1978. She had another daughter, Natalie, via IVF a few years later. Louise spoke to The Telegraph about her mother saying, "Mum was a very quiet and private person who ended up in the world spotlight because she wanted a family so much. We are all missing her terribly."
Louise's birth helped pave the way for more successful IVF treatments and procedures for other people who've wanted families just as badly. And for that, we remember her fondly.
Has IVF touched your life? If so, tell us how.


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A recent New York Daily News cartoon features the dilemma faced by New York's Governor, Andrew Cuomo.
Governor Cuomo had been barreling towards a late February deadline to decide whether or not to allow fracking in large parts of New York. His decision was highly anticipated and was expected to influence the decision process in other states (and communities in other parts of the world). Fracking is a method of mining in which cracks are created in shale in order to obtain gas, oil, or other substances that are inside it.
It seems that the Governor has now decided to postpone his decision, yet again. Once more unusual pressures may have been ads run in Iowa by anti-fracking activists. The authors of this campaign suspect that the Governor is considering running for President in 2016. Fracking is controversial in farm-oriented Iowa. Their ads created the threat that a pro-fracking decision by Cuomo would lead to an initially unfavorable impression of him, among Iowan Democrats.
CSRHub tracks 57 companies in our system, who have been identified as having an involvement in fracking. It will be interesting to see how this ongoing controversy affects these companies and how their sustainability performance is perceived.
Bahar Gidwani is a Cofounder and CEO of CSRHub. Formerly, he was the CEO of New York-based Index Stock Imagery, Inc, from 1991 through its sale in 2006. He has built and run large technology-based businesses and has experience building a multi-million visitor Web site. Bahar holds a CFA, was a partner at Kidder, Peabody & Co., and worked at McKinsey & Co. Bahar has consulted to both large companies such as Citibank, GE, and Acxiom and a number of smaller software and Web-based companies. He has an MBA (Baker Scholar) from Harvard Business School and a BS in Astronomy and Physics (magna cum laude) from Amherst College. Bahar races sailboats, plays competitive bridge, and is based in New York City.
CSRHub provides access to corporate social responsibility and sustainability ratings and information on nearly 7,000 companies from 135 industries in 82 countries. Managers, researchers and activists use CSRHub to benchmark company performance, learn how stakeholders evaluate company CSR practices and seek ways to change the world.


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Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Art of Racing In the Rain by Garth Stein
What I know without a doubt is, I finally have an answer to the question What's your favorite book? It's this, a story about the human condition... told from a dog's point of view.
Enzo is a mix-breed with a penchant for race cars. He's also a deep-thinking wannabe man. He's self-taught (with "a degree of literacy"), observant, intuitive. And he fiercely loves his master, Denny.
It's Denny, a semi-professional car racer, who teaches Enzo the rules of the track: It's Enzo who, while watching his human family struggle through heartbreak and more, turns those rules into life lessons for us.
I laughed out loud. I worried. I wept. I shared excerpts with my husband. But best of all? I found it.
My favorite book.
27 comments:
- Donna M. Kohlstrom said...
Thank you for sharing this book! I am an avid animal lover and look forward to reading it. The book reminds me of a precious book given down through my family, called Beautiful Joe. One of my brothers has it and I don't remember the author, but the story makes me feel the way you do about your book. It's about a dog, told from the dog's point of view. If you should happen to find it, make sure you have at least two boxes of tissues when you read it!
- January 14, 2009 at 6:30 AM
- Terri Tiffany said...
LOL I just finished this book! I bawled the first chapter as I had just gotten rid of my dog--but then couldn't put it down! Really good!
- January 14, 2009 at 6:57 AM
- Angie Ledbetter said...
Don't ya love when a book tweaks every single heart string?
- January 14, 2009 at 7:04 AM
- Joanne said...
This books sounds like the type that when you finish it, you pick it up and read it again, gleaning something you might have missed in the first read. I've done that with books, more than once. Thanks for the recommendation.
- January 14, 2009 at 8:44 AM
- Kathryn Magendie said...
I'll have to look that up - I'm always looking for good books.
(and just saw your comment blurb above - *haw!!!*
- January 14, 2009 at 8:44 AM
- Melissa Amateis said...
It sounds wonderful! Will have to put it on my "to be read" list.
- January 14, 2009 at 9:03 AM
- Janna Leadbetter said...
Donna, I think you'll love this one! And I'll write Beautiful Joe down. I had no idea a "dog narration" had been done before!
Terri - Me, either! SO hard to put down.
Angie - I certainly do. And it's happened many times, but never in such a way as this one did.
Joanne - I thought that very thing last night upon finishing it; that I can't wait to read it again.
Kat - I hope you read and like it! And LOL! Thanks.
Melissa - You'll have to let me know what you think.
- January 14, 2009 at 9:33 AM
- Melanie Hooyenga said...
I've never even heard of this - I'll have to check it out!
- January 14, 2009 at 10:12 AM
- WendyCinNYC said...
I just bought that for my mom for Christmas. I'll have to borrow it back. Thanks.
- January 14, 2009 at 10:31 AM
- Natasha Fondren said...
I've heard of this book! Isn't this the book that Stephen King took out a page ad to endorse? Sold by Agent Jeff Kleinman?
The premise is amazing, and I keep meaning to add this to my Kindle. I'm on it!
- January 14, 2009 at 10:36 AM
- Janna Leadbetter said...
Melanie - I seriously think EVERYONE'S going to be hearing about this book. I told hubby I really hope they make it into a movie.
Wendy - You betcha!
Spy - Bingo! I hadn't heard about the King thing, but he is Kleinman's client. And fun trivia: Kleinman also reps Melanie's aunt, Karen Dionne. He's really had some success as an agent, and was just touted as an up-and-comer in Poets & Writers magazine.
- January 14, 2009 at 10:38 AM
Ohhhhhhh sounds like something I want to read. I wish I had time. I started Twilight and made it a chapter or two. I used to read all the time. Now I feel like if I'm reading I should be writing. I need to change that!
- January 14, 2009 at 10:40 AM
- Barb Davis said...
Wow, I'll buy this one!!
- January 14, 2009 at 10:41 AM
This sounds like a must for my library. Thank you for sharing it with us.
- January 14, 2009 at 11:17 AM
- Rachel Burton said...
Wow; I'll definitely check it out after that endorsement! I've seen it on shelves and thought the title was cute, but hadn't flipped through it yet.
- January 14, 2009 at 12:06 PM
- Janna Leadbetter said...
Sharla - I hear you with the crunch for reading time. But I do know reading can be so important to a writer's life. The good thing about this book was, I made time for it.
Barbara - I'll be eager to hear your thoughts!
Ang - Absolutely. :)
Rachel - Welcome back! :) Next time you see it, read a few paragraphs. Heck, just the first page! I dare you NOT to get hooked.
- January 14, 2009 at 12:20 PM
It's honestly not a book I'd ever pick-up, but you've sold me on it. Now I wanna read it! Thanks for sharing.
- January 14, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Was Black Beauty the first book to do this? (animal perspective) I am not sure. This one sounds very interesting though!
- January 14, 2009 at 4:58 PM
- Janna Leadbetter said...
FringeGirl - Woo hoo!
Turk - Shows how much I know... I didn't know Black Beauty was written that way.
- January 14, 2009 at 5:00 PM
- Jessica Nelson said...
Wow! I hope the author finds your blog because I think your post would make him feel awesome.
I've heard of this book. Guess now I know I'd better read it!
- January 14, 2009 at 6:56 PM
- Janna Leadbetter said...
Jessica - That would be so cool. :)
- January 14, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Thanks, janna, I'm putting it on my wish list now, hugs
- January 15, 2009 at 9:56 PM
- Heather said...
Oh. Sounds great! I'll have to pick that one up sometime. :)
- January 16, 2009 at 10:56 AM
- michaelsean said...
Great review Janna! I saw Garth just joined the Twitter-verse. I am interested to see what he has to say and since your review was so amazing, I thought you might be interested!
- May 13, 2009 at 1:22 PM
- Janna Leadbetter said...
michaelsean - Thanks! I just read your review (though Vox wouldn't allow me to comment without signing up :P ), and I'm glad to see my enjoyment of the novel backed up by another. I thought it fabulous!
- May 13, 2009 at 2:24 PM
- Thea said...
I know this is an oldie, but read Call of the Wild by Jack London. Wow, told from the dog's POV and very powerful
- March 17, 2010 at 6:15 PM
- Brasil said...
This book is awesome! I am the kind of person who doesnt like the "thriller" type books that much so i really enjoyed th book. I think its really cool how its told from the point of view of dog.
- March 30, 2012 at 2:56 AM


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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Dorian Green scored 17 of his 26 points in the first half and eighth-seeded Colorado State used good shooting and great rebounding to run away from No. 9 Missouri 84-72 Thursday night in the NCAA tournament.
Green, who went scoreless with five turnovers in last year's second-round upset to Murray State, did much better this time as the Rams shot nearly 58 percent in the first half.
Minnesota transfer and Rams big man Colton Iverson outrebounded Missouri by himself through 27 minutes and finished with 13 boards.
First-year Rams coach Larry Eustachy earned the victory with his fourth tournament team, but the road gets tougher as they advance to face top-seeded Louisville in Saturday's third-round Midwest Regional game at Rupp Arena.
Phil Pressey's 20 points led the Tigers (23-11).
Greg Smith and Jon Octeus each added 12 points while Wes Eikmeier added 11 for Colorado State (26-8), which was rarely threatened by Missouri.
The lopsided outcome was surprising considering the teams' similarities that made this an intriguing matchup.
Besides balanced offenses with at least four starters averaging in double figures, Colorado State and Missouri also have thrived on the glass. The Rams entered the game with a rebound margin of 12.1 per game, tops in the nation, with the Tigers third at 9.6.
Iverson averaged 14.7 points per game to key Colorado State's return to the tournament along with Eustachy, who led Southern Mississippi here last year. The 6-foot-10 senior has been helped by Eikmeier (12.7 points) and Green (12.8 points) and Smith (11.1).
Missouri meanwhile featured one of the field's most balanced offenses, with Laurence Bowers (14.4 points) leading five starters averaging at least 11 points per game. Pressey has been one of the Tigers' most interesting stories, a talented guard who has tended to make mistakes in key moments.
That made for an entertaining first half that Colorado State led 47-38 by setting the offensive pace before falling into an end-to-end game more to Missouri's liking.
The Rams shot 15 of 26 (58 percent) in the first half and seemed primed to run away from the Tigers. Green was 3 for 3 from beyond the arc.
Missouri was 15 of 30 in the first 20 minutes with four 3-pointers.
Missouri closed to 49-45 early in the second half, but the Rams responded with a 17-4 surge for their biggest lead at 66-49 lead.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Dorian Green scored 17 of his 26 points in the first half and eighth-seeded Colorado State used good shooting and great rebounding to run away from No. 9 Missouri 84-72 Thursday night in the NCAA tournament.


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Re: Question to the world: Do you want an computer algebra program with a true GUI?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg55002] Re: Question to the world: Do you want an computer algebra program with a true GUI?
- From: Max Goldfarb <TheMuati at verizon.net>
- Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 06:34:27 -0500 (EST)
- Organization: Estudiantes United
- References: <email@example.com>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Sounds great, but your website doesn't work. jamesahart79 at gmail.com wrote: > Hello. For some time now, I have been working on a free, open-source > project which allows the users to enter equations and then edit them > directly on the screen using drag-and-drop, dialog boxes, and > context-sensitive drop-down menus. I've also given it the ability to > use the Mathematica kernel to perform more difficult calculations > (works on Windows machines only, at the moment). I'm posting here to > see how many people would find something like this useful and whether > people think they would use something like this. (Please note that > many, many features have not been implemented. This is still very much > a beginning.) > > You can read more about it and see screenshots at > > http://mathdragn.squarespace.com > > You can download it at > > http://sourceforge.net/projects/equation > > The download is an executable jar file, so you may need to install a > JRE from Sun to get it to run. It runs on Win 98 and later, Mac OS X, > and Unix. >


text:
David Cameron yesterday used the Paralympics Opening Ceremony as an opportunity to spout crass propaganda for the toff Government's ruthless disability benefit cutting regime.
Speaking to Channel 4, Cameron said: "It's about the inspiration and it will change people's minds and that's what matters. It'll teach people about what they can do, rather than what they can't do."
This is the exact same line that has been used to strip benefits from hundreds of thousands of disabled people. Here's a DWP spokesperson saying the same thing in the Daily Express to justify the Work Capability Assessment, the brutal computer based tests used to declare sick and disabled people fit for work: "We're overhauling the whole system of incapacity benefits to place the emphasis on what work people can do, not what they can't"
This line as been trotted out time and time again by Ministers and DWP officials as justification for the brutal new benefit eligibility tests that have tragically driven an increasing number of people to suicide. Those with serious disabilities or illnesses, including those undergoing chemotherapy, have all been stripped of sickness or disability benefits on the basis that there might, possibly be a job they could somehow do. As one Tory MP, Nadine Dorris put it, "if you can tweet you can work".
It seems that even at the opening of the Paralympic Games Cameron can't resist trying to crowbar some subtle benefit bashing into the proceedings.
Spotted by the ever vigilant Black Triangle Campaign
Join today's online day of action against Atos, the company making hundreds of millions from carrying out these assessments: http://www.dpac.uk.net/2012/08/dpac-atos-armchair-games-30th-august-the-truth-is-revolutionary/
Above pic found at: http://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/remember-atos-kills.html


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Jerrod Niemann, 'Only God Could Love You More' – Song Review
'Only God Could Love You More' is a song that doesn't leave many places for Jerrod Niemann to hide. The second single from 'Shinin' on Me' is vulnerable a la 'Stay' by Sugarland. Niemann steps up to the challenge and delivers what should be his biggest hit. This could be a career-defining song.
Niemann wrote the cut with good friends Lee Brice and Jon Stone. Credit the men for dropping machismo and for not overthinking an idea so pure. Each line in the 'Only God Could Love You More' verses is but four or five words long, but the emotional strain in the singer's voice fills in the story with blue heartache.
"The things you say / They hit me with a right sometimes / Hit me with a left sometimes / But I'm still standing," he sings to begin the track. Guitar harmonics and a few scant percussion instruments are all that open the song before a delicate piano dances around Niemann's voice.
'Only God Could Love You More' refrains from growing into a tidal wave of emotion. Towards the final chorus it swells, but ultimately pulls back before spoiling the captivating, understated tone.
The chorus goes:
"So know you are not alone / I am in this too / This is us, this is me and you / So go, turn and walk out that door / I hope you find what you're lookin' for / Just know only God could love you more than I do."
The song is somewhat lost in the flash and style of other tracks on 'Shinin' With Me.' As a radio single, one is able to appreciate his story better. Despite a second verse that hints at a breakup, it's easy to imagine this as a popular love song to dance to for years to come.
Listen to Jerrod Niemann, 'Only God Could Love You More'


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Today I'm in the Ace Hotel at a one day conference titled "Agile Testing and BDD Exchange" #bddxny, and I'll be taking and sharing notes throughout the day.
Skills Matter is a UK based technical education company who are starting out in New York. This is their second conference. I've been to a few one day conferences, training days and evening meetups at their London base. I'm giving them bonus points for bring PG Tips.
Please forgive the inevitable spelling mistakes and typos, but I hope there's some interest in this.
Uncle Bob starts with some 2001 Space Oddesy music to the video of a code file scanning down. It takes at least 3 minutes. He then starts, "I am your new CTO", and continues to give his talk as if we, the audience, are employees at the same company. He outlines not how he wants us to work, but what he expects the outcomes of that work are.
Here follows the notes from his talk.
"I am your new CTO"
- "I will not tell you what to do, but I'll tell you what to expect"
- "we will not ship shit"
- "there are times when you don't ship all the features"
- "we will always be ready"
- "you will be ready all the time"
- "I want to say 'ship it now' and it goes"
- "I expect stable productivity"
- "I don't expect you to start fast and slow down as the application gets bigger/older"
- "I expect inexpensive adaptability"
- "requirements will change, the platform may change – you will adapt and be able to adapt"
- "you will move quickly and inexpensively"
- "if you're doing Rails/Spring (insert other framework, library or dependency here), I want to be able to rip that out – adapt inexpensively"
- "Continuous Improvement"
- "I don't expect any one part of the system needs to be refactored"
- "keep the system as clean as it can be"
- "always be improving continuously"
- "if you note it starts getting messy, take steps"
- "professionals don't let things get out of control"
- "Fearless competence"
- "I want you do say: 'I can change that if I feel like it'"
- "Should not be afraid of the code"
- "No freezing of the code but constantly able to change the code"
- "Extreme quality"
- "you will focus on the highest quality system you can produce"
- "tradeoff in features, not quality"
- "I don't expect bugs"
- "We will not dump on QA"
- ̶#8220;I expect QA will find nothing"
- "QA ought to wonder why they exist"
- "I expect QA to move to the front of the process, setting the tests and requirements to define how the system should operate"
- "Automation"
- "tests, builds and anything that be automated, will be automated"
- "manually testing is immoral – humans should only do things machines cannot"
- "Nothing fragile"
- "I expect things to be robust"
- "we know how to make non-fragile software"
- "there is no part of the system that deserves bad design; production code, tests, deployment – everything"
- "We cover for each other"
- "Sportsman and soldiers can do someone's job"
- "Someone knows how to take over if they get sick, go on vacation or leave"
- "I don't care what you do, you can pair, you can do something else but you will cover for each other"
- "Honest estimates"
- "Accurate and precise to the best of your ability"
- I do not expect a date
- I expect a range of dates, something you'd be comfortable with
- "Done within a few weeks of December 15th"
- I want to know what the odds are of hitting a date
- I want those estimates to be constantly adjusted
- Tell those managers who demand a date, I expect you do say "No"
- A hallmark of a professional is the ability to say no
- You must defend the honesty of your estimate and the quality of your system
- I expect you to never use the words "Yes, I'll try" after you say no.
- There is nothing you do will differently if you say the word "try"
- It does not made the impossible, possible.
- This means you've been holding back
- You say try to get rid of people, this is a lie
- Continuous Aggressive Learning
- Industry is changing by the week
- Systems, platforms and languages comes in waves
- Your job is to surf those waves
- Do not ride the wave to the bottom
- You expect your doctor or lawyers to be reading about new stuff, I expect 'us' to be that kind of people
- Mentoring
- I expect us to teach
- schools and universities aren't teaching how to work in our profession
- Look at apprentice models
- (Uncle Bob always returns to being technical)
- "we will not ship shit"
"Setting expectations"
- There is nothing you can do in order to go faster
- work more hours? – not reliable
- overtime becomes the norm
- things become a mess and slow things down
- "Time pressure creates an environment that generates mess"
- We can reduce features
- We can add staff
- mythical man month
- have to be careful, can be done if you have enough time
- new people will be exposed to old code and will continue to make mess
- There is nothing you can do in order to go faster
"How do we deal with the people who say yes"
- You can't, over time there will be a separation
- Medical profession separated about 200 years ago between professionals
- Let's go the way of medicals rather than law
- get signatures of others professionals
- let's get a residency, internship
- no exam, degree or government legislation (like law)
- "I don't need to tell people what to do (TDD, agile, pairing), but what to expect"
- business people have implied expectations and are disappointed when things don't work out
- Uncle Bob became programming in the 60s, there were very programmers
- Deadlines are not an excuse
- professionals learn to work with deadlines and still produce good product
- Jack Dansen, History of Computing article (?)
- iPhone today would be the economic output for the whole world 50 years ago
- "my laptop is 22 orders of magnitude the power of the machines I started coding on"
- while powers have increased, how have we improved as programmers? Certainly not 22 orders
- we had OO, functional, structural programming in the late 60s
- we haven't had any programmer based innovations since the 60s
- I can transport a programmer from the 60s and they could get up to scratch in 24 hours
- What we do has changed very little
- isn't it time we started doing it well
Where do we begin if we have lots of bad code
- avoid the temptation to start over
- a redesign is probably
- no guarantee that you will get anything from it
- "clean the mess one little bit at a time"
- "leave the camp ground cleaner than you found it"
- "add unit tests where you can, when you need them"
- "gradually refactor and redesign over time"
- "it will be painful"
About the Author


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A word of advice if you ever plan on speaking professionally with Charles Ellis: Be prepared.
The best-selling author, consultant and Ivy League professor swatted away a number of our carefully crafted questions, and it was only after his explanation of why that we understood our mistaken premise. Ellis (who goes by Charley) had something to say and, alternating between genial and intense, he was going to say it. It was a refreshing change from so many interview subjects who fear to contradict in the belief it will make them "look good" in the eyes of the interviewer, and by extension, the reader.
It's this straight talk that's made Ellis so valuable to the businesses with which he consults and the firm he founded, Greenwich Associates, the standard by which other consultants are measured.
When someone begins by referencing Jesus and Mohammed in answer to the first question, you know it'll be an interesting conversation.
Although best known for his seminal work, "Winning the Loser's Game," his latest book, "What It Takes: Seven Secrets of Success from the World's Greatest Professional Firms" was largely the reason for our conversation. In the book, he profiles some of the institutions he's worked with and studied over the years: McKinsey and Co., Goldman Sachs and Mayo Clinic among them. Although all large firms, the lessons about what makes an organization great (and sustainable) are perfectly scalable to a smaller RIA; indeed, they're lessons for life as well as business, Ellis remarked.
Leadership, culture, mission, recruiting—of course they all determine the level of success a firm will reach. Yet how many employees can recite, and truly understand, their employer's mission? How many feel comfortable enough to speak up in an environment of open communication and innovation?
If the number were high, Ellis, Simon Sinek and others who constantly point to where we go wrong wouldn't make the fantastic living they do.
Throughout the interview, Ellis stressed the sense of gratitude he felt for the people he's known, the businesses he's worked with and the system that's helped achieve his success.
He begins "What It Takes" by recounting a contentious company-wide meeting at McKinsey and Co. in 1996. Marvin Bower, one of its legendary leaders, interrupted a presentation by senior staff to point out what should have been an obvious conflict of interest. A nonagenarian at the time of the meeting, Bower famously turned down Howard Hughes on five separate occasions because he felt Hughes would never implement his advice. We wondered how valuable someone like Marvin Bower, that elder statesman, was to a company's success. More importantly, what happens when they retire?
"In many ways you'd say people have religious faith in, let's say Mohammed, Jesus or Buddha, that was enormously important to all the things that happened thereafter," Ellis said. "I think it's very clear that a decisive, inspiring, compelling leader with a real message will carry on and on and on."
A student of many great leaders throughout history, he referred to George Marshall, who Ellis argued is widely recognized as one of the greatest soldiers and statesmen of all time.
"Not to be presumptuous, but I have paid attention to what he did and how he did it when thinking about how I want to do what I'm doing," he continued. "His message was compelling, consistent and so clearly the right way of doing things. If you have the privilege of having an extraordinary leader who has an extraordinary message that he's able to articulate over and over again, people will keep it for a very long time."
Noting the "tremendous tension" between doing what's right for the client and what's right for the organization, he believes it's more difficult now because organizations are often very large, and large organizations have thousands of different people, each with different internal values, "some of which they know and some they don't know unless they spend a lot of time with a psychiatrist."
"They all have different experiences and come out of different cultures with different value orientations," he added. "It is very, very hard to have that consistency of understanding that leads to consistency of commitment."
Goldman Sachs is one firm profiled in the book and one that was heavily criticized for actions that came to light after the economic crisis of 2008. Specifically, one complaint was that it marketed products like CDOs to clients as appropriate investments without ever taking an investment in the products themselves. Ex-Goldman vice president Fabrice Tourre was charged by the SEC in 2010 with misleading investors related to the practice. Would popular former CEO John Whitehead have allowed something like that to happen?
"First, I should just caution you that I have had the privilege of knowing John for a long time," Ellis coolly answered.
He noted that while Whitehead was always smooth and graceful, he was also rigorous and "ready to make decisions," albeit safe decisions.
Using the movie "Saving Private Ryan" as a reference, "because it pleases me," Ellis related that Whitehead, as a young naval officer, was in charge of five landing crafts during the Normandy D-Day Invasion.
"As the machine guns were blasting away he saw an obstruction. The landing crafts were a heavy metal door in front and a light weight plywood hull. The Nazi obstructions would have sunk Whitehead's boat if he had followed explicit orders to make no turns and head straight into the beach. He also broke orders to maintain radio silence. He signaled to the other guys to turn on their walkie-talkies and said, 'Be prepared to turn 90 degrees left. Now!' All of the boats turned left. Then he said, 'Be prepared to turn 90 degrees right. Now!' And they all turned right and landed on the beach having avoided the obstruction and the machine gun fire. The details make clear how much of a real leader he was then and later in life. Getting everyone on the same page and moving in the right direction are certainly the leadership lessons he carried with him to Goldman Sachs. He knew where the firm was going, was able to articulate it and get people going in that direction."
Moving from leadership to culture, the book praises the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Culture, he said, is what makes people come together and feel that the group is more important than the individual. Therefore, they will do everything they can to advance the interests of the group. Separately, though, the group has to have a commitment.
"I believe if you're going to be a great firm, a commitment is to put the client's interest first," he explained. "Culture then translates that aspirational objective into day-to-day behavior: 'We all do it the same way.' It's bonding glue. It's what makes people think that the other people in their group are special and they are so glad to be part of that special group."
At one point Ellis writes, "Not all great leaders are servants to their organizations. For Paul Cravath, his organization was there to serve him." We thought it a controversial statement to make in today's politically correct corporate culture, and said as much. When we asked Ellis what he meant, there was a long pause, followed by, "Help me out with the question."
After a stumbling second attempt at our query, Ellis laughed and said, "If you're the lawyer and I'm the witness, I'll just say, 'That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.'"
Thankfully he continued, arguing, "You'd have a very hard time proving the thesis that most senior executives are entirely focused on serving the organization. I know they'll say it's what they want to do, but look at Wall Street. A large number of people get to the top of the hierarchical structure and really care a lot about what's in it for them rather than if they're really doing the right thing for the organization."
We counter that it's at least true at the level of a one- or two-man RIA, with the executive as entrepreneur; they would certainly have a vested interest in the organization.
He didn't flinch.
"Now you're talking about a very specialized group of people. They went into a line of work where skills and knowledge put into service of the client is highly important. The RIAs that I have met with all had this enthusiasm for being able to do what's right for their clients. But for large organizations, you look back at them and say, 'Gee, what happened?' Fairly often it is the absence of outstanding leadership."
Why? Because he thinks it's very difficult for people who have worked to get to the top of a large, complicated organization to then devote the rest of their life to the organization.
"The temptation is to say, 'Well, I earned it and it's mine and I'm going to take what I can and my fair share.'"
He backtracked a bit, adding he didn't want it to sound "quite so strongly," but noted it's hard to be a devoted, committed servant-leader at the top of a large and complex organization. He once again referenced George Marshall, arguing he was the epitome of a servant-leader.
"He didn't give a damn about anything that happened to him. He cared about the 8 million people he had in uniform. You saw it in 'Saving Private Ryan.' It was George Marshall who said, 'Find him, bring him home. His mother has already suffered enough.'"
We then moved to what is undoubtedly a hot topic, especially in this age of increased access to alternative investments and non-correlated asset classes: Ellis' friend and colleague, David Swensen. "What It Takes" is dedicated (touchingly) to the uber-successful manager of Yale University's endowment. We noted that we recently heard a speaker claim that, when referencing money managers, "everyone wants to be like Yale." We added that although Swensen doesn't attempt to "win the loser's game" by timing the market, he nonetheless makes very active moves.
Ellis wouldn't bite.
"Without trying to go anywhere near answering your question because I think it takes us in the wrong direction, here are a couple of characteristics of David Swensen," he diplomatically deferred. "No. 1, he is absolutely Mr. Integrity. Here is a guy who has given up a multimillion dollar annual income in favor of working for Yale. That's what he wants to do."
Referencing "What It Takes," he pointed to Swensen's strong sense of mission and culture, as well as his rigorous training and how he "embodies all of the characteristics outlined in the book."
"Yes, everyone wants to be like Yale, but they are not like David Swensen," he astutely noted. "If they try to copy David Swensen, they will fail. They have to be able to find a way that works for them."
He informed us there was one thing we didn't touch on that he hoped to come back to before concluding. It was something of a surprise, as it identified the most important of the seven secrets detailed in the book.
"The first chapter is mission; it's all about defining a truly inspiring, long-term purpose to which you would dedicate your life and career and so would others. If you get that right, you've really got it. What's the big idea? Why are we all gathered together? It's that sense of mission. If it isn't clearly defined, it won't take long for the firm to fail."


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Similar attractions elsewhere in Germany include the Dinosaur Park in Münchehagen by the Lake Steinhude nature reserve and Gondwana prehistoric world in Schiffweiler in the Saarland.
Adventures of a prehistoric nature await children and families at the dinosaur-themed leisure park in Kleinwelka near Dresden. The park, which covers nearly 20 hectares, also features a maze and a miniature park. Suitable for children aged three and above.
Though similar attractions exist in the Upper Lusatia region, the Dinosaur Park and maze in Kleinwelka is certainly one of the most impressive with more than 200 dinosaur models – some of which are up to 30 metres tall and can now even roar, hiss, emit smells and make the ground tremor. The prehistoric age is brought back to life within this primeval-like woodland. Dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages can embark on a journey back in time and learn how dinosaurs lived, reproduced and raised their young and how the carnivores hunted their prey. A wide range of audio installations create an authentic backdrop of sounds, while information boards provide all the necessary facts. Fun activity stations in the jungle of creeping vines give kids the chance to climb, slide and explore. And if all that weren't enough, you can even try your hand at archaeology in the park's research camp. There are lots more attractions on the Jurassic adventure site too, while over at Universum children can send a message into outer space or embark on a virtual journey through the centre of the Earth.
The toddler zone at the space station in Kleinwelka theme park is an impressive 4.5 metres tall and 15 metres wide. Reminiscent of a UFO, it fits perfectly into the overall design of the picnic area. This new play zone has plenty to keep children aged three and under happy, with slides, climbing frames and all kinds of other equipment. At the centre is a sandpit and around the edges there are slopes and slides for the children to explore. The miniature park guarantees fun and entertainment without the need for any hair-raising rides. Here there are games to encourage little ones to get active, and children can try to outsmart their parents on puzzle games. Over at the gold mine everyone is hoping for a spectacular find. An avenue of puzzles, a path blocked by eggs, horseshoe pinball or a forest telephone – there's always something new and exciting just waiting to be discovered! The adventure continues in the maze next door – where getting lost is all part of the fun! There are more than 30,000 different ways to get to the end, so it's easy to take a wrong turn …
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In Reply to: Re: Chronic Urtecaria posted by Woody on January 29, 2000 at 18:59:58:
: : : Does any body have any information regarding this skin disorder, searching the Web seems to have drawn a bit of blank, any help would be appreciated from medical professionals or sufferers.
: : : Thanks
: : I too suffer from this condition.I've had it for 2 years now.For me it's airborn allergens that cause my problem.I strongly suggest you find a very good allergist to get information from.Most doctors have no clue as to how to treat this terrible affliction.They only want to give you shots and pills and send you on your way.: : Find out whats causing your problem and then alter your lifestyle according to your needs.Thats what I have to do.It really stinks but its better then itching like a hound dog.There is information on the web. just keep looking for it and you'll find it.Look up asthma and allergy diagnostics. that might help. Well good luck I hope you find relief.Mark
: :I had a very sever case of urticaria, so severe that I was almost forced to quit my job. I had been seeing boarded Allergists. Someone told me that I should see a boarded environmental allergist. The closest one was a Dr.in Denver. I spent a week there. He gave me two different kinds of blood tests, very complete laboratory tests and a four hour interview. He identified every substance I am allergic to. Simply by avoiding these substances I am perfectly well. It was l984, so I have been free of symptoms for l6 years. I was able to continue working, so I paid for my kids college education. Such comprehensive tests provide big surprises. I have used very little ethyl alcohol in my life. I was highly allergic to it. Also the chemical formula for tartrazine, which is FD&C yellow dye number five, is so much like the formula for aspirin that if one is allergic to aspirin he is also allergic to yellow 5. He is also allergic to yellow 6 and yellow l0. I was allergic to certain tree pollens, and to a yeast that causes an intestinal disorder. Environmental allergists keep records of the chemical composition of, in my case, a glue that was used 25 years ago in fastening wall board to office walls. They know the chemicals used and can then test you for sensitivity to those compounds.
: So now grocery shopping consists of reading all of the labels. Food manufacturers are not very smart. Ice cream manufacturers were smart. They removed yellow five from ice cream and soft ice cream bases, and now use other yellow dyes. Same for cheese makers. But pickle makers, who did not have yellow 5 in pickles before, started putting it in pickles. Yellow dye makes the pickles look yellow green like young cucumbers. All mature cucumbers look dark green, but the public doesnot know this. Pickles made in India and Germany do not have yellow 5 in them. They think that yellow 5 is such a good thing that many bakers put it in all sweet rolls, etc. It is time to patronize stores who are very conscious of such things. When we dine out, I take with me a small bottle of a food allergy medicine in the event that I am served something that contains yellow 5. That will save me from going to the nearest emergency room. Also, I became sensitized to cigarette smoke years ago at the University I attended. They allowed smoking in classrooms. That was followed by dust and diesel exhaust smoke sensitivity, so now I can travel on a freeway only in a car that has a filter on it that filters out such pollutants.This occurred even though I never smoked tobacco. Incidentally, I have the same allergies that my father had.
: If you think I might help you further, reply with your questions. Woody
: : :
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So much for local government expectations of income from drilling impacts and probably pipeline impacts fees as well,
City losing expected $278,000
October 18, 2012
By MARK MARONE , Williamsport Sun-Gazette
The city administration was informed Wednesday it is expected to receive a little more than half of the amount of money from Marcellus Shale gas drilling impact fees than it had anticipated and planned to include in the 2013 budget.
The Public Utility Commission reports that Williamsport will receive $259,597. Originally, Mayor Gabriel J. Campana expected the city to receive $538,000 that he was going to use in planning the upcoming budget.
"That's an additional blow to the taxpayers," Campana said.
City taxpayers may have to anticipate an increase in real estate taxes, he said.
The city faces a $1.5 million shortfall requiring a 2-mill tax increase, but Campana said it won't be that much.
Campana said he's disturbed because the money has to be used for impacts caused by gas industries, such as road reconstruction and housing.
"I am taking pre-emptive measures and bold steps to reduce the size of government and bring alternative sources of revenue into the city next year," he said. Next year's payroll will be lighter under a plan that Campana will announce in early November.
City engineer John Grado said he was told the calculation of how the impact fee money was distributed has to do with population and mileage from wells.
"The city was apparently five miles from a vertical well, but not five miles from a horizontal well," he told the city finance committee Wednesday.
Asked from where the city received the original higher estimate, Campana said it was from a report done by Delta Development Group, a Mechanicsburg consulting firm that has looked at long-range economic development for the city.
It also was what the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry interest group, estimated the city would receive by the end of the year, Campana said.